Trending Now - Ancient Reptile Fossil Found in Oklahoma Cave Reveals Breathing Evolution
WHO:
US Magazine - The species discovered is Captorhinus aguti, a small lizard-like animal.
IFLScience - Co-lead author Ethan Mooney is a graduate researcher from Harvard University.
IFLScience - Co-author Professor Robert R. Reisz is involved in the research.
WHAT:
US Magazine - A 289-million-year-old mummified reptile was discovered.
IFLScience - The specimen is preserved in three-dimensional structure, including bones, skin, calcified cartilage, and protein remnants.
IFLScience - The fossil represents the earliest known system that allowed breathing similar to modern reptiles, birds, and mammals.
IFLScience - The fossils are now housed in the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.
WHERE:
US Magazine - The discovery was made in a cave in Oklahoma.
IFLScience - The specific site is near Richards Spur, Oklahoma.
WHEN:
IFLScience - The species died 289 million years ago during the Permian period.
IFLScience - The study is published in the journal Nature in 2026.
WHY:
IFLScience - The discovery is critical to understanding early amniote evolution and how breathing systems evolved.
HOW:
IFLScience - The team used neutron computed tomography (nCT) at a specialized facility in Australia to examine the fossil without damaging it.
IFLScience - The research involved reconstructing the breathing apparatus of an early amniote.
(UPDATED April 10, 2026 07:23 UTC)
A remarkable discovery has been made in a cave near Richards Spur, Oklahoma, where researchers uncovered a 289-million-year-old mummified reptile known as Captorhinus aguti, which is now housed in the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Co-lead author Ethan Mooney from Harvard University, along with Professor Robert R. Reisz, utilized neutron computed tomography to examine the fossil, revealing its three-dimensional structure, including bones, skin, and remnants of proteins. This finding is significant for understanding early amniote evolution and how breathing systems developed, as it represents the earliest known system similar to those of modern reptiles, birds, and mammals.